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Tag: Globe Telecom

  • Globe Switches over 1,000 Cell Sites to Renewable Energy

    Globe Switches over 1,000 Cell Sites to Renewable Energy

    Globe converted more than 1,000 cell sites across the Philippines to renewable electricity as of August 2026, tapping the government-backed Retail Aggregation Program to source clean power for its network infrastructure.

    The company rolled out the purchasing framework in 2025, making it the country’s first telecommunications provider to aggregate decentralized cellular installations under the state power scheme.

    Alongside switching grid-tied stations to green power suppliers, Globe replaced standalone diesel generators at remote towers with hybrid solar photovoltaic installations paired with battery energy storage systems. The storage units rely on lithium-ion and sodium-nickel chemistries, which deliver longer operating lifespans and lower handling risks than conventional lead-acid setups. At facilities where diesel generators remain necessary, the carrier installed automated load management hardware to curb fuel consumption and shorten engine runtime.

    Cutting Operating Costs Across Dispersed Networks

    Power represents one of the largest ongoing expenses for mobile tower operators in Southeast Asia. Operating diesel generation in isolated provincial sites carries steep logistics costs, including transporting fuel across island archipelagos and servicing mechanical engines during extreme weather disruptions. Replacing fuel burning with solar and chemical storage eliminates regular tanker deliveries while protecting operating margins against volatile international oil benchmarks.

    For enterprise users, digital commerce platforms, and branch retail networks operating across the Philippines, base station durability directly determines point-of-sale uptime. Prolonged grid collapses during typhoon seasons regularly knock digital payment terminals, inventory networks, and delivery routing offline. Hybrid generation keeps base stations transmitting during municipal power failures, shielding transaction volumes in provincial commercial hubs from weather-related outages.

    Rival Strategies and Grid Modernization

    Globe is running its off-grid power replacement alongside statutory obligations under the Philippine Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act. Regional telecommunications operators face parallel operational demands, prompting carriers across Southeast Asia to retrofit passive infrastructure or transfer cell site management to independent tower companies that contract clean energy supplies at scale.

    The operational pivot follows years of extreme weather exposure across the Philippine archipelago. Super typhoons frequently sever regional transmission lines, stranding base stations that rely entirely on local utility distributors or limited on-site fuel tanks.

    A major highlight of executing our Net Zero Strategy has been using the government-initiated Retail Aggregation Program. As the first telco in the Philippines to switch cell sites to renewable energy under RAP, converting over 1,000 sites to clean power reinforces our commitment to operational efficiency, network resilience, and disaster readiness.

    Tracking Battery Deployment Across Provincial Sites

    Tower reliability remains an operational pressure point as Philippine consumer transactions migrate to digital channels and mobile wallets. Automated systems installed on the remaining diesel facilities now report fuel draw and operating hours automatically, reducing the frequency of physical maintenance visits across provincial routes.

    The company continues to deploy hybrid battery packs and solar arrays across additional off-grid towers as older generator assets reach retirement. Regulatory filings under the national energy conservation framework will show the exact drop in diesel consumption as more provincial sites complete the equipment switchover.

  • Asia Pacific Mobile Operator Emissions Rose 6% to 23 Million Tons

    Asia Pacific Mobile Operator Emissions Rose 6% to 23 Million Tons

    Asia Pacific mobile operators increased their operational emissions by 6% between 2019 and 2024 to around 23 million tons of CO2 equivalent, according to the GSMA.

    The rise came as mobile data traffic across the region jumped 350% over the five-year period, outpacing a 6% growth in mobile connections and driving up network power demand.

    Operators in the region spent around USD 7 billion on energy in 2024, consuming approximately 50 TWh of electricity alongside 350 million liters of diesel and gasoline.

    Widening Split Between North and Southeast Asia

    Operational emissions trajectories diverged sharply between mature power markets and developing economies across the region. Mobile operators in Southeast Asia recorded a 20 percent increase in operational emissions over the five-year span as carriers rolled out network coverage to meet surging consumer internet demand.

    Operators in Japan and Oceania reduced operational emissions by more than 30 percent over the same period. Those reductions tracked wider domestic availability of commercial renewable energy contracts and corporate green power tariffs.

    Purchased or self-generated renewable electricity across Asia-Pacific operators reached 7 terawatt-hours in 2024, accounting for 15 percent of their total electricity use. While that figure rose from 1 percent in 2019, the regional share still lagged behind the global telecom industry average of 24 percent.

    Procurement Barriers in Developing Grids

    Clean power access remains concentrated in a handful of advanced markets. Telecommunications carriers in Japan and Australia sourced more than 50 percent of their electricity from renewable assets in 2024, compared with 8 percent in South Asia and 4 percent across Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, operators drew 5 percent of their power from clean sources.

    Regulatory frameworks in developing markets limit corporate power purchase agreements and offer few mechanisms to aggregate power demand across thousands of scattered mobile towers. High retail clean-energy tariffs and prolonged permitting timelines for grid connections further restrict deployment.

    Select Southeast Asian carriers have bypassed these constraints through local supply contracts. Globe Telecom in the Philippines sourced roughly one-third of its electricity from renewable generators in 2025, while Telekom Malaysia and Thailand-based True Corporation exceeded 20 percent renewable power adoption.

    Supply Chain and Scope 3 Exposure

    Network operations represent only a fraction of the broader environmental balance sheet for regional telecommunications providers. Value-chain and supply-chain emissions, classified as Scope 3, reached approximately 110 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024, representing more than 80 percent of total industry emissions in the Asia Pacific.

    That concentration places financial and compliance pressure directly on network equipment vendors and independent tower companies. Carriers are demanding audited carbon reporting, circular hardware design, and science-based reduction plans from their primary suppliers.

    To date, 21 mobile network operators in the Asia Pacific have secured validated near-term science-based climate targets, representing 55 percent of regional mobile connections and 75 percent of total industry revenue. Another 13 regional carriers hold validated net-zero commitments covering 40 percent of connections.

    Grid Upgrades and Regulatory Reforms Ahead

    Telecommunications operators across the region are pressing governments for structural electricity reforms, accelerated coal phase-outs, and streamlined clean-power procurement rules tailored for distributed infrastructure. Carriers are also petitioning state regulators to classify mobile base stations and backhaul lines as critical infrastructure in national disaster and climate-resilience budgets as tropical storms and coastal flooding escalate.

    The earliest operator net-zero target dates across the Asia Pacific begin in 2040, leaving regional carriers dependent on state grid modernization and corporate procurement reforms to cut the remaining 85 percent of fossil-powered electricity from their balance sheets.

  • XLSmart Begins Work on 8,000-Kilometer Subsea Cable Linking Southeast Asia to Japan

    XLSmart Begins Work on 8,000-Kilometer Subsea Cable Linking Southeast Asia to Japan

    Indonesian operator XLSmart has started construction on Candle, an 8,000-kilometer subsea fiber network. The route links Indonesia to Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan. Commercial operations will begin across all six markets in 2028.

    Consortium partners backing the system include Meta, SoftBank, Telekom Malaysia through its TM Technology Services unit, the Philippines’ Globe Telecom, and Japan’s IPS Inc. NEC Corporation will supply the marine transmission equipment. It will deploy 24 fiber pairs along the seabed.

    The Route Through Batam

    Candle lands in Indonesia at Tanjung Bemban on Batam island. That puts the cable directly opposite Singapore’s main data exchanges. Batam serves as a spillover hub for data centers and cross-border transit links while Singapore limits domestic power allocations.

    Crews have finished initial marine work and landing preparations at the site. The route gives carriers a fresh corridor for cloud, enterprise, and artificial intelligence traffic between Southeast Asian cities and East Asia.

    PT XLSMART Telecom Sejahtera Tbk is handling local operations and Indonesian regulatory filings. This is one of the operator’s major capital programs following the merger of PT XL Axiata Tbk and PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk.

    Wholesale Capacity and Route Diversity

    For regional enterprises and cloud platforms, Candle adds physical diversity away from congested legacy routes. Extra subsea lines protect against cable cuts and geopolitical friction across the South China Sea and Luzon Strait.

    Wholesale buyers gain dedicated capacity instead of leasing space on older multi-party systems. The link also expands Meta and SoftBank’s owned transmission assets between Southeast Asian hubs and Japanese internet exchanges.

    Enterprise demand across Jakarta, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur continues to drive direct subsea investment into domestic carriers. XLSmart Director and Chief Enterprise Business Officer Andrijanto Muljono said: “Candle represents a strategic investment to prepare for Indonesia’s long-term connectivity needs.”

    Consortium Lineup and Build Steps

    Planning for Candle began in late 2025 with founding members Meta, SoftBank, IPS, Telekom Malaysia, XLSmart, and NEC. Globe Telecom joined the group in April 2026 as an equity investor and the landing partner for the Philippines.

    Each landing partner oversees shore-end work, territorial water permits, and domestic terminal stations. Teams have moved from desktop studies to physical landing milestones, while NEC manufactures the cable.

    With 24 fiber pairs, Candle ranks among the highest-capacity regional systems in Asian waters. Most older subsea infrastructure in the corridor operates on 8 to 16 fiber pairs.

    Regulatory Hurdles and Timelines

    Permit applications are advancing across all six landing jurisdictions. Marine surveys, cable-laying contracts, and deep-water work must clear national maritime agencies before installation vessels lay the main trunk lines.

    On Batam, the landing station must connect directly with domestic terrestrial backbones across Java and Sumatra to carry traffic inland. Consortium engineers will run dry testing and wet plant commissioning through late 2027 before opening the system to commercial traffic in 2028.

  • Philippine Regulator Clears GCash Parent Mynt for $1.48 Billion IPO

    Philippine Regulator Clears GCash Parent Mynt for $1.48 Billion IPO

    The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the initial public offering of Mynt, Inc, the parent company of GCash, for up to $1.48 billion (P92.32 billion).

    The company will list on the Philippine Stock Exchange with an expected initial market capitalization of $10.71 billion (P668.96 billion) under regulatory guidelines established in 2026 for large-scale issuers.

    Under the approved terms, Mynt will issue up to 1.61 billion primary common shares, while a selling shareholder will offer up to 6.42 billion shares, alongside an overallotment option of up to 1.20 billion shares priced at up to $0.16 (P10) each.

    Share structure and float relief

    Regulators granted Mynt permission to list with a 12 percent initial public float rather than the standard 15 percent requirement. SEC Memorandum Circular No. 11 allows this lower threshold for issuers valued above $3.2 billion at listing. With an anticipated market capitalisation of 668.96 billion pesos, Mynt easily surpassed that statutory mark.

    That regulatory waiver protects existing shareholders from heavy dilution while injecting fresh liquidity into the local bourse. The secondary share sale gives early backers a clean exit route. It also keeps excess cash off the operating balance sheet.

    Valuation and market impact

    A $10.71 billion listing immediately reshapes index weightings on the Philippine Stock Exchange, where conglomerates, real estate developers, and traditional lenders dominate trading. The float gives fund managers a direct, liquid proxy for domestic consumer spending and fintech transaction volumes. It also tests local capital depth by absorbing funds that might otherwise flow across regional equities.

    Across Southeast Asia, the float provides a pricing benchmark for consumer fintechs moving from venture capital to public markets. Digital payment operators in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand face similar profitability pressures. Yet Mynt’s multibillion-dollar domestic valuation shows local exchanges can absorb large tech listings when profitability metrics line up.

    Path to the trading floor

    Clearance follows years of rapid expansion for GCash, which grew from a basic telco money transfer tool into an everyday payment utility for Philippine merchants, transit routes, and small businesses. Backed by Globe Telecom and Ant Group, the platform built a lead over domestic rivals by capturing both banked and unbanked retail transactions during the pandemic shift to digital settlement.

    Bookbuilding and domestic retail offer periods will set the final strike price within the approved 10-peso ceiling before trading begins in Manila.

  • Philippine Telcos Commit over USD 2.2 Billion in 2026 Capital Spending

    Philippine Telcos Commit over USD 2.2 Billion in 2026 Capital Spending

    Philippine telecommunications operators have budgeted more than USD 2.2 billion in capital expenditure for 2026 to expand mobile networks, fiber connectivity and digital infrastructure across the country.

    Filings and guidance compiled by the Department of Information and Communications Technology put the combined baseline for the three largest networks at USD 2.21 billion. Total industry spending will rise to between USD 2.4 billion and USD 2.45 billion once DITO Telecommunity figures are added.

    Carrier Budgets and Network Expansion

    Globe Telecom leads the spending group with a guidance ceiling set below PHP 59.4 billion for 2026. PLDT has committed approximately PHP 55 billion to fund its mobile and fixed-line networks, while Converge ICT Solutions plans to deploy between PHP 17 billion and PHP 20 billion for fiber rollout.

    DITO Telecommunity plans to scale back outlays from its 2025 level of PHP 15 billion to PHP 18 billion. DICT did not release a specific 2026 allocation for the third major mobile operator, but department officials confirmed the group will maintain active network expansion.

    “Crossing the USD 2 billion mark sends a clear message: the telecommunications industry believes in the Philippines,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda. He noted that the capital programmes will direct resources toward data centers, cloud platforms, e-commerce support and artificial intelligence capacity.

    Policy Shifts and Network Competition

    For consumer brands and retailers across Southeast Asia, sustained telecommunications spending underpins the shift toward digital payments, omnichannel commerce and last-mile logistics. Carriers in Manila spent heavily over the past five years to establish basic 5G footprints, and the 2026 budgets shift capital toward data density, subsea links and enterprise connections rather than speculative coverage builds.

    The investment cycle aligns with market reforms under the Konektadong Pinoy Act alongside public investment in the National Fiber Backbone. The next milestone for the sector comes with third-quarter company earnings reports in November, when operators will release finalized 2026 project timelines and vendor procurement contracts.

  • KDDI Expands Starlink Direct Satellite Access to the Philippines and New Zealand

    KDDI Expands Starlink Direct Satellite Access to the Philippines and New Zealand

    Japanese carrier KDDI and Okinawa Cellular expanded their au Starlink Direct satellite service on August 31 to cover the Philippines and New Zealand.

    The cross-border rollout adds two Asia-Pacific destinations to an international coverage footprint that previously included only the United States and Canada.

    Direct satellite links for travellers

    Subscribers to KDDI’s satellite service in Japan can now access low-Earth orbit connectivity in remote areas across both partner markets without paying extra fees or filing advance applications. The service links directly with Starlink Mobile technology when users have a clear view of the sky, enabling text messaging, location sharing, and supported light data applications in regions where terrestrial cellular networks do not reach.

    Local carriers Globe Telecom in Manila and Spark in Auckland are serving as the operational partners for the rollout. Philippine coverage targets remote island corridors and dive destinations such as El Nido on Palawan Island, while New Zealand access focuses on national parks and backcountry wilderness areas.

    “By enabling access to Starlink Mobile’s satellite-powered text and light data services when overseas, we’re helping travelers stay connected in places where traditional mobile coverage isn’t available,” Spark Chief Customer Officer Mark Beder said.

    Regional race for direct-to-cell coverage

    Mobile operators across the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly turning to low-Earth orbit satellite constellations to eliminate dead zones across archipelagos and rugged terrain without building expensive land towers. By routing signals directly between standard consumer smartphones and satellites in orbit, carriers can maintain emergency contact channels for inbound tourists and rural communities without requiring dedicated satellite handsets.

    Globe and Spark are working to expand two-way satellite roaming for their own domestic customers as Starlink prepares broader direct-to-cell capabilities across the wider region.

  • Globe Telecom picks Canvas for automation

    Globe Telecom picks Canvas for automation

    Globe Telecom in the Philippines has turned to Canvas to become the platform that integrates service functionalities and help Globe automate its office processes.

    This move is expected to reduce costs, increase operational efficiency, and further enhance the operator’s commitment to environmental protection and conservation.

    More importantly, this will enable Globe to take on a bigger role in providing digital services such as billing, logistics and customer service as well as opening more avenues for access to the Internet of Things (IoT) for its customers, the telco said.

    In the near-term, as it streamlines internal processes, Globe expects to save more than 1.5 million administrative hours company-wide each year by digitizing various processes such as customer relationship management, billing and other administrative services.

    As part of their partnership agreement, Globe also intends to make Canvas more widely available to its business customer base, building on the early high adoption among some of the Philippines leading companies. Globe’s business customers are already using Canvas to realize benefits for their own customers such as an increased level of customer care and reduced costs for services.

    “As an enterprise, the digital transformation we have undertaken is part of our continuing commitment to adopting efficient and viable IT solutions that will improve the experience of our employees and customers,” said Ernest Cu, president and CEO of Globe.

    “This strategic partnership with Canvas allows us to offer our millions of business customers in the Philippines a chance at a transformation of their own with similar productivity gains and green benefits.”

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  • Singtel and Globe launch Tustwave MSS in Philippines

    Singtel and Globe launch Tustwave MSS in Philippines

    Singapore’s Singtel is bringing its Trustwave portfolio of managed security services to the Philippines, in collaboration with Globe Telecom.

    Under the collaboration, Globe is providing Trustwave’s services through its advanced security operations center (ASOC) in Manila, a new facility operated by Singtel’s Trustwave subsidiary.

    Globe’s ASOC will combine threat intelligence from Globe with global threat visibility from the global network of nine Trustwave ASOCs.

    The services will be supported by an ecosystem of global cyber security providers including Palo Alto Networks, FireEye and Arbor Networks.

    Singtel acquired a 98% stake in Trustwave for $810 million in a deal announced in 2015. In December that year, Singtel and Globe also signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen Globe’s cyber security capabilities.

    Singtel and its managed security services business unit Trustwave also recently expanded their collaboration with Palo Alto to bring managed security services to multi-national businesses and government agencies, and the new agreement extends Singtel and Trustwave’s partnership.

    “As the leading cyber security services provider in the region, our deep global capabilities allow Trustwave Managed Security Services to monitor, assess and defend our customers’ operations round-the-clock against cyber attacks,” Singtel CEO group enterprise and Trustwave chairman Bill Chang said.

    “The launch of Trustwave Managed Security Services is timely as it complements the Philippine government’s National Cybersecurity Plan 2022.”

    The government’s plan is aimed at safeguarding the Philippines’ critical information structures, as well as governments, businesses of any size and all citizens using the internet.

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  • Ayala buys stake in Zalora Philippines

    Ayala buys stake in Zalora Philippines

    Ayala Corporation has stepped into eCommerce by acquiring a 49 per cent stake in BF Jade E-Service Philippines, which owns and runs fashion platform Zalora Philippines.

    The conglomerate has announced it is buying 43.3 per cent of BF Jade, while in a separate disclosure Ayala Land says it will own 1.91 per cent. BPI Capital Corporation and Kickstart Ventures also acquired minority stakes in BF-Jade. BPI and Kickstart are wholly owned subsidiaries of BPI and Globe Telecom respectively.

    Ayala’s involvement is part of its strategy to invest in new disruptive businesses offering innovation to evolving markets, the conglomerate says.

    “This investment demonstrates how we at Ayala look at innovation and growth opportunities,” says chairman/CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

    “We see the potential of eCommerce in the country, and believe the Ayala group can benefit and add tremendous value to Zalora. With resources in banking, real estate and telecommunications, the investment presents new opportunities for Ayala to generate synergies throughout the eCommerce value chain.”

    Zalora Philippines was co-founded in 2012 as part of the global network of the Zalora Group, which is 100 per cent owned by the Global Fashion Group.

  • Nokia to supply Globe Telecom in the Philippines

    Nokia to supply Globe Telecom in the Philippines

    Nokia and Globe Telecom, a leading telecom operator in the Philippines, on 24 October signed two Memoranda of Confirmation frame agreements – one for wireless technologies and the other for IP, Optical and SDN technologies – under which Nokia will transform Globe Telecom’s current fixed and mobile networks into a more robust network that will help Globe meet the country’s burgeoning and future digital demands.

    This will enable Globe Telecom’s move to Cloud and IoT-ready networks and 5G.

    Under the agreements, Globe Telecom will transition to a flexible cloud-based network infrastructure, with Nokia’s 5G-ready AirScale radio access and IP, optical and carrier SDN technology solutions providing seamless connectivity to consumers and enterprise customers. The modernized Globe network will also allow it to support the Philippine government’s initiative to further expand the availability of broadband services in the country.

    The mobile network frame agreement between Nokia and Globe Telecom follows the operator’s recent access to new LTE spectrum. Nokia will deploy its 4.5G Pro technology using the 5G-ready AirScale Base Station and Flexi Zone small cells, managed by NetAct, in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, providing broadband access to some areas in these regions for the first time. Globe will also be enabled to use Mobile Edge Computing and advanced carrier aggregation techniques to deliver virtually unlimited scalability and dramatic improvements in speeds and capacity that will deliver compelling new services. The technology will also enable lower power consumption, reduced operating costs, more network automation and enhanced network performance as it transforms Globe Telecom’s customer experience for a subscriber base growing at 10 percent annually, as well as meeting increasing demand from IoT devices.

    In the second frame agreement, Nokia will deliver its integrated IP and optical networking and carrier SDN technologies across the Philippines to enhance the agility, quality, performance, coverage and capacity of Globe Telecom’s enterprise data services network. This will allow Globe to deliver coverage to more regions including in the ARMM, such as Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Using Nokia’s carrier SDN platform, Globe will also be able to provide flexible data services such as bandwidth-on-demand nationwide, and expand its offer to thousands of enterprise customers, global service providers and local government agencies as well as those serving the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO), hospitality, education, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, logistics and finance industries.

    “As the Philippines’ leading fixed and mobile service provider, we are devoted to improving people’s connected lives day-by-day. With Nokia’s innovative technologies, we are confident to lead the 5G and cloud network evolution,” said Ernest L. Cu, president and CEO of Globe Telecom.

    “This is a significant agreement with a longstanding technology partner, and strengthens Nokia’s position as Globe Telecom’s premier provider of end-to-end technology solutions. We are committed to delivering technologies that allow operators to transition smoothly to intelligent, future-proof networks, offering seamless connectivity and changing how people communicate and connect,” said Mike Wang, head of the joint management team in China at Nokia.

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  • Globe Telecom expands Cartoon Network app in Philippines

    Globe Telecom expands Cartoon Network app in Philippines

    Globe Telecom in the Philippines is providing a major enhancement to its Cartoon Network Watch and Play app, allowing customers to livestream Cartoon Network and on-demand content via a new authenticated service.

    Globe customers will soon be able to log in to the free app using their username and password to unlock an array of value-added services, which includes livestreaming the channel on devices, games and access to full episodes on demand.

    In addition, Cartoon Network Anything – a micro-network that presents short-form content – is now offered as part of the Globe app bundle.

    “This partnership creates a truly unique and enjoyable second-screen brand experience for kids to enjoy and for parents to trust,” said Phil Nelson, Turner’s managing director in Southeast Asia.

    Both apps let kids enjoy their favorite characters and shows whenever. Fueling their imagination, they allow them to be a hero with Ben 10 and the Omnitrix, rule the Candy Kingdom with Princess Bubblegum, flip out with The Powerpuff Girls, or embark on mathematical adventures with Finn and Jake whenever they want.

    “Together with Turner, we are able to give our customers a more wonderful digital entertainment experience on mobile,” said Dan Horan, Globe senior advisor for consumer business.

    Dedicated data usage for the apps will be offset via a data wallet system, available via users’ subscription plans, meaning they won’t have to worry about eating into their monthly allowance.

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  • AirAsia’s Tune Labs, rewards program startup ZAP form JV

    AirAsia’s Tune Labs, rewards program startup ZAP form JV

    Tune Labs, a venture capital vehicle formed by AirAsia founders Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, has entered into a joint venture with top Philippine rewards and loyalty program ZAP.

    The partnership will see AirAsia BIG, the loyalty program for AirAsia and the Tune group of companies, leverage on ZAP’s platform to allow BIG members to earn and redeem points from daily purchases at physical stores with just a mobile number.

    Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tune Labs was launched last April 2015 as a startup incubator and accelerator program aimed mostly at the Southeast Asia region. Its goal is to identify, fund and nurture early stage companies in the travel, finance and retail sectors.

    The advanced AirAsia BIG loyalty program will be launched in the third quarter of this year tartegeting over 100 partner establishments in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before expanding to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Partners will include restaurants, services, and retail shops in commercial centers.

    AirAsia BIG has over 17 million members across the Asia-Pacific region and was recently named Loyalty Programme of the Year at the 2016 Loyalty & Engagement Awards.

    AirAsia BIG CEO Eddy Leong said customer loyalty is a large part of AirAsia’s success and the joint venture is part of their retail strategy.

    “ZAP is the tech partner to help AirAsia BIG achieve our goal of having loyal customers earn BIG points and redeem for their flights faster and easier than ever, by rewarding members’ everyday life,” Leong said.

    According to ZAP CEO Dustin Cheng, the partnership will fast-track ZAP’s expansion through the region.

    “The joint venture allows us to leverage on millions of AirAsia’s customers,” Cheng said. “Our goal in ZAP has always been to empower merchants of all sizes with an easy-to-use loyalty and CRM platform.”

    Founded in 2012, as a mobile number-based loyalty program for brick-and-mortar merchants, ZAP is one of 26 digital tech startups funded by Kickstart Ventures Inc, a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Globe Telecom Inc.

    ZAP today caters to over 300,000 members and works with close to a thousand partner establishments within Metro Manila in the Philippines.

    Kickstart president Minette Navarrete said the ZAP co-founders have the high energy and agility to expand across the region, and the joint venture capitalizes on AirAsia BIG’s scale and ZAP’s growth momentum.

    “AirAsia and the Tune group of companies are among Southeast Asia’s success stories, with an ethos we truly admire. The ZAP founders have proven their ability to effectively drive customer and revenue growth, and adoption of a technology platform in a high-touch retail environment,” Navarrete said.

     

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  • Globe defends need for 700-MHz to ISOC

    Globe defends need for 700-MHz to ISOC

    Globe Telecom has challenged the Internet Society-Philippines Chapter (ISOC) move to oppose Globe and PLDT’s proposed joint acquisition of San Miguel Corporation’s telecoms assets, including its 700-MHz spectrum holdings.

    ISOC recently wrote to the Philippine Competition Commission opposing the planned acquisition on grounds including the argument that there is nothing special about the 700-MHz band in particular.

    Globe chief technology and information officer Gil B. Genio has written his own letter to the society to clarify what the company called “erroneous facts” presented in the society’s objections.

    He said the 700-MHz band would allow the operator to expand its LTE footprint to areas that were previously unserved even by 3G.

    “The 700-MHz provides an additional capacity layer over existing 3G and LTE capacity layers using frequencies on the 1800-MHz, 2100-MHz band and the 2500-MHz bands. As a result of this layer, customers at the cell edge coverage of the high frequency capacity layers are served by the 700 MHz providing better experience to these customers,” he said.

    “As an off-shoot of these, the 3G and 4G layers using high frequency band are offloaded, providing additional capacity for better mobile data experience of our customers. Aside from its ability to carry information, the use of the 700-MHz band provides better coverage versus higher frequency bands (such as 2300 or 2600), and therefore mobile service providers can support more high speed users using the same tower or cell site footprint that currently exists today.”

    In response to ISOC’s argument that it is possible to deliver strong wireline connectivity without specturm assets, Genio said Globe has been seeking to aggressively roll out fiber in key cities.

    But he added that these efforts have been hampered by bureaucratic red tape as well as the challenges of providing effective backhaul to an archipelagic country.

    “We want to underscore the fact there has been a history of underinvestment in fixed broadband infrastructure in this country, which is why we are on catch up mode to lay down as much fiber optic cables in our primary cities and key development areas as we can,” he said.

    “Our situation in the Philippines is different compared to others as our primary means of broadband access remains wireless (mobile) broadband for now. In using wireless technology, it is more pervasive, however over the long term, it will have difficulty in matching the throughput rates or speed of fixed broadband network. Hence our desire to build more infrastructure as fast as we can.”

  • Globe expands operations in Japan, refocuses Europe retail operations

    Globe expands operations in Japan, refocuses Europe retail operations

    Globe Telecom announced that it has expanded its operations in Asia with the establishment of GlobeTel Japan, Inc.  With this office in Tokyo, the company is in a better position to serve the communications needs of customers in the Philippines as well as the 180,000 overseas Filipinos in Japan.

    globe logo

    “We will continue to provide affordable and high-quality telecom services to our kababayans in Japan. We will also be adopting new business models to deliver meaningful products to overseas Filipinos,” said Nikko Acosta, Globe SVP for International Business.

    With the changing competitive landscape in Europe, Globe also announced it will close its offices in the UK, Italy, and Spain.  However, to continue serving its customers in the said countries, Globe maintained its popular telebabad service, DUO International, in the said markets through existing partnerships with telecom providers.

    The three offices are UK Globetel Limited and Globe Mobile Italy s.r.l., both opened in 2013, and Globete Internacional European Espana S.L. which started operations in 2014.  They are all members of the Globe Group of Companies.

    In accordance with its international business alignment, Globe will retain its offices in the USA, Singapore, and Hong Kong, as well as retail presence across key markets such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For more information on the international services of Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph/international.

     

  • Globe Telecom launches media content studio

    Globe Telecom launches media content studio

    The Philippines’ Globe Telecom has entered the entertainment production business with a new studio and content partnerships aimed at developing content tailored for mobile consumption.

    The operator has announced the launch of Globe Studios, which will develop original video productions for modern audiences accustomed to consuming and sharing content through social media via mobile pones.

    Globe Studios is backed by local and Asian media houses including Viva Films, Reality Entertainment, Quantum Films, Spring Films and Astro of Malaysia.

    “Consumption of mobile entertainment has grown exponentially over the past years. Today, customers no longer wait for their favorite shows on their TV screens. Instead, they dictate what they want to watch when and where they want to,” Globe chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal said.

    “With Globe Studios, we will now produce our own clips, series and even movies. Backed up with the biggest director partners and entertainment companies in the industry, we are set to show what customers want today.”

    In addition, Globe has announced the launch of Globe Live, which will produce live shows and events. Globe Live’s first production will be a Philippine staging of the Broadway musical Green Day’s American Idiot.

    To support its media ambitions Globe has formed new content partnerships, including becoming the first mobile and broadband Philippine partner for Netflix.